Art: Helping Britain Buy British

With a U.S. assist, the Tate raises enough to save two Stubbs

In the glory days of Empire, English art buyers plundered the riches of
Italy, France and Greece. But since World War II, the down-at-heel
British lion has been unable to compete with Americans, Japanese, and
assorted European collectors in the all too open international art
market. As a result they have begun to concentrate on simply hanging
onto whatever treasures they already have. They rallied round to raise
$4 million, thus saving a Titian. But another masterpiece —Velásquez's
portrait of his assistant Juan de Pareja, for example, was snatched
from them in 1970...